


Something In Between

by jhunieilarde



Category: The Order (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Gap Filler
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-18 02:46:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29976201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jhunieilarde/pseuds/jhunieilarde
Summary: Pure Vermish between after the end of Season 1 right before the start of Season 2.
Relationships: Hamish Duke/Vera Stone
Comments: 8
Kudos: 28





	1. Fine Bottle of Wine

Celebration is supposed to be in order after their victory from Edward Coventry but Vera is not in a celebratory mood. As she stared at her desk, particularly at her bottom left drawer, she couldn’t help but wonder if there’s really something worth celebrating. With Coventry’s defeat, the position of Grand Magus is officially vacant. As a member of Gnostic Council, she received a very long sermon from the other councilors about her role in shoving their former Grand Magus inside the Vade Maecum Infernal and burning it afterwards. They were more upset about destroying the book than Coventry’s death and she couldn’t help but loathes every single one of them. Of course, they care about power.

No, there’s no time to celebrate. There’s more work to be done.

“I knew you’d still be here”, someone said from the door.

She looked up and found Hamish Duke standing there holding a bottle of wine.

“How did you get in here?” she asked.

“Uh…Jack told me the new passageway going here. I just want to bring you this as thank you for helping us defeat Edward Coventry. It must have been difficult turning your back on your organization”, he answered.

She eyed him carefully, determining his true intention.

“We all have roles to play. I do what’s best for my disciples. As for Mr. Morton, a lecture is in order for him. He should know better than giving away our temple’s secrets to non-members”, she replied with her usual tone.

Hamish smiled and entered her office casually which made her raised an eyebrow.

“Well, I am here now. It will be waste not to savor this fine bottle”, he said.

It’s been a long day. Between handling the campus, dealing with the Council, and taking care of her temple duties, a drink is surely a given.

“Fine”, she agreed and gestured for him to pour her a glass.

Hamish smirked and obliged.

Vera kept her eyes on him, watching his every move with keen eyes. He looks so confident and comfortable moving around her office like he owns the place. It’s unnerving.

“There you go, Magus”, he said handing over her glass before he poured himself one.

She took a sip and appreciated his taste in liquor. It really is a fine bottle of wine.

“You got good taste”, she muttered.

“One of my talents…” he casually walked around her desk and sat in front of her, “What happens next?” he then asked.

His smugness and arrogance are catching her off-guard. None of her disciples has the nerve to act this way in front of her not even Jack Morton and yet, Hamish, an outsider, has no qualms claiming her temple like his territory.

“Is that why you came here with a bottle of wine? Here I thought you want to celebrate”, she retorted with a challenging gaze.

She saw as another smirk formed upon his lips and she couldn’t help herself from licking her own.

“You couldn’t blame me from wanting to know what the Order has in store for the Knights. You all know our identities now, where we live”, he confirmed.

Right…he’s still the leader of the Knights of the St. Christopher after all.

“I can ask you the same. You wolves know our identities, the ins and outs of my temple. I am betting you also know where I live. What do you have in store for us?” she asked instead.

They entered a battle of intense stare, refusing to stand back, to relinquish the upper hand.

“Perhaps, we can enter a truce then. We know how well we work together. There’s no need for us to be at war. You agree to leave us alone and we do the same”, he proposed.

Vera pursed her lips.

“Yes, until you decided to attack one of my students for miscasting a spell”, she pointed out.

“Our job is to stop bad magic”, he clarified.

“…and my job is to train students to perfect their spells. As an instructor, I am certain you can understand that they are bound to make mistake or be tempted by their curiosities to push their limits. Does that warrant an immediate execution and have their hearts be ripped out of their chests?” she asked.

He saw the quick shift of her expression. Earlier, she finds his intrusion amusing and challenging but now, she’s all protective to her disciples.

“Their mistakes cost the lives of innocent people, Vera”, he mentioned.

“So, you play judge, jury, and executioner all at once? Even in the court of law, criminals are given the chance to prove their innocence and they’re not outright being sentenced to death. They’re kids, Mr. Duke. You just don’t take their right to learn from their mistakes. You take their lives and their future”, she argued.

For years, Hamish never questioned their method, the way they do their job as Knights. Sitting with Vera right now and hearing her point of view, he suddenly felt wrong about how they handled things. Do they really have the right to kill someone after committing one mishap? Maybe it’s the reason why the war between the Knights and the Order went on for years. In their minds, they’re only doing their duty and for the Order, for Vera, she’s only protecting her disciples. It’s an endless, vicious cycle of misunderstanding.

“Alright…I hear your point. All the more reason for us to work together. The Knights swore to fight bad magic and protect innocent people who are not part of this world. Your job, as you said, is to train your disciples to be responsible magic users. Why don’t we work together? We spot your students doing bad magic. We stop them, not kill them, and bring them to your attention. You impose proper sanction on them once determined their actions are indeed a mistake. I think we can both agree that there had been instances that bad magic was intentional and meant to hurt others”, he proposed.

Vera stared at her now empty glass and contemplated his proposal. It is not bad and considering the length of time the two societies have been enemies, it will be nice if they can have the wolves as the Order’s ally.

“That’s not bad, Mr. Duke. As much as I would like that to happen, it’s not going to be my decision. I am not the Grand Magus nor the Head Councilor of the Gnostic Council but…it’s not going to be the first time I will go behind their backs for the sake of my disciples so if we’re to enter this arrangement, it must stay between us, no one else”, she countered.

Her disciples are wary of the wolves and if they catch a wind of this arrangement, one of them will surely rat her out to the Council and she’s not in the mood for that conversation.

“Agreed”, he accepted.

He grabbed the bottle and poured her another.

“We should have had this conversation years ago…could have prevented a lot of death”, she mused.

Having a sharp brain can sometimes be a curse since she can still remember the names of her students who died.

“Yes, we should have but we had now. No one else has to die without hearing them first”, he responded.

She looked back at him and saw that he meant it. She finished her drink and got on her feet.

“This has been a fruitful, unexpected meeting, but it’s getting late and I have a lot of work for tomorrow so…” she smoothens her dress and tried to side step Hamish but he stretched out his right leg trapping her between his leg and her chair.

His left thigh happened to settle between her own legs. His hand held her arm and tugged her closer to him that she can literally feel the warmth from his body and it made her heart beats faster.

“What are you doing?” she asked, her voice dropped an octave.

Suddenly, the air around them changed.

“Are you okay?” he asked her back.

The question caught her off-guard. No one ever bothers to ask her that question before.

“Fine, all things considered”, she answered.

She’s tired is the exact answer…exhausted even. She’s been playing this game most of her life. It’s like a marathon that has no end and she just keeps on running and running towards an invisible goal.

“Does anyone ever tell you that you’re an incredible leader and human being?” he asked while tucking few strands of her hair behind her ear.

What is happening?

“I don’t think most people see me as a human being”, he frowned, “They just mostly assumed I’m coldhearted bitch or a programmed robot”, she scoffed.

“Stop”, it’s her turn to frown, “Don’t belittle yourself like that. No one who has a cold heart will do what you did to save Maddox Coventry and Jack Morton…and us for that matter. You just argued with me about the lives of your disciples. If you don’t care, you wouldn’t bother defending them to me. You should try seeing yourself from another lens”, he said.

She gave him a sad smile, the first ever smile he had seen on her.

“…that’s the only lens I have”, she muttered.

He sighed and cupped her face.

“Then, use mine”, he replied.

It happened fast. The next thing she felt is his lips on hers before she felt her body melts. How long has it been since she’s been touched like this? She couldn’t even remember. It’s like her whole being is on fire. The heat travelled to her core and she found herself restless, craving, wanting more. Before all common sense and rationality left her brain, she managed to get the last of her control and pulled herself from Hamish.

“I’m sorry. I can’t do this right now”, she managed to get out before she grabbed her purse and coat and hurried out of the door without looking back because she knows that if she did, she wouldn’t be able to leave.

\-----------------------------------

Once at home, Vera quickly went to the bathroom and stayed under the cold shower. Maybe it’s what she needs to get her mind off of Hamish. She still couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that she made out with the leader of the Knights. Sure, he is kind, smart, brave, arrogant and cocky but he’s still a werewolf. They may have an arrangement but that does not include sleeping together. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what Kepler would say if this came out.

Vera caught her reflection on the mirror after her shower and her fingers went up to her lips, tracing where his lips was just few moments ago.

“Get a grip, Vera”, she scolded herself and got ready for bed.

\------------------------------------

When the morning comes, she fixed herself and headed out to the campus. Her mind is set on working the whole day but all that shattered when she saw Hamish inside the conference room.

Right, she forgot about the faculty meeting.

She tried her best to listen to what the others were saying but it’s hard to do when she can feel his burning stare on her. It’s like he’s not even bothering to hide it. He’s just staring at her intensely. She dared look his way and the moment their eyes connected, she felt the same heat travelled to her core. Her heart starting to beat faster once again. She is certain that she’s all flushed right now but her hair is doing a so-so job in covering it up.

Her relief is immediate when the meeting has come to an end. She spoke with a few members of her faculty as the number of people in the room dwindled. She failed to realize that all that’s left with her in the room is Hamish.

She tried to avoid his gaze as she grabbed her purse and coat but he’s already standing behind her. His familiar warmth is radiating on her back. His scent is filling her sense of smell. How can someone be so intoxicating?

“We’re on campus, Mr. Duke”, she warned.

He stepped closer. His breath on her ear.

“Rabbit’s Hole Pub, tonight at 9:00 o’clock. Don’t be late”, he whispered and left before she could even say anything.

What the hell just happened? But she knows…she’ll go there anyway.


	2. Not Exactly a Date

**Rabbit’s Hole Pub – 8:45 in the evening…**

Vera has been mentally kicking herself all the way to the bar. She spent three hours after work hours controlling her impulses to meet Hamish, giving herself all the reasons not to get herself involve with the wolf and still, irrationality won her over and now, she finds herself fifteen minutes early in a bar miles away from Belgrave. What kind of message that sends? She’s too eager to meet with him considering her punctuality? She tried to lie to herself and say, she just never liked being late.

“You’ve changed”,

She involuntarily closed her eyes upon hearing his voice and felt him took the seat next to hers.

“Red suits you”, he complimented.

“Well, office wear doesn’t really blend in this kind of environment. Tell me, why are we here exactly?” she asked.

She tried to keep her tone businesslike, but she knows she already failed on that regard.

“I wanted to see you…away from the campus or the temple or our usual environment. I need to get you away so you can be comfortable”, he answered.

She arched a brow at him.

“Comfortable with what?” she followed up.

His hand landed on her exposed thigh.

“…with this”, he answered.

Well, that was rather quick. It has to be something akin to necromancy because there’s no way someone has this intense effect on another person. Just his mere touch is enough to send her body on fire. It has to be dark magic.

“Mr. Duke…you asked me to drive all the way out here to flirt? I would say, I’m disappointed”, she said.

“No, you’re not. I can tell, just like I can tell that there’s this connection between us that I cannot explain”, he paused to order a drink for them both, “I should hate you or at the very least dislike you. You’re the leader of our sworn enemy and yet, here I am, desperate to spend time with you”,

The bartender came back with their drinks and left them alone.

“When Jack texted us that you’re at the basement that day working on some potion, I was looking forward to it. I composed all these things I wanted to say to the Temple Magus of the Order and then, I saw you bent over that dusty desk, completely focused on mixing herbs while uttering spells. To say I was stunned is an understatement. Everything I thought I wanted to say to you just vanished from my head”, he responded.

Vera nervously grabbed her glass and took a big gulp. She felt the liquor burning down her throat.

“So, you saw a witch doing spell down your basement…that was it? Suddenly, a connection was formed because of that moment?” she asked in pure sarcasm.

He chuckled.

“No. I was stunned by your beauty and your dedication to your craft but I heard you talking to Lilith downstairs when I put Maddox to Randall’s room. He asked you to heal her and you did not even object. I mean, we’re the monsters who slaughtered your students and you said yes to helping one of us. Despite how Lilith acted towards you, saying that she has always hated you, you still healed her and saved her life. Then, you fought your own people to protect us and though they tried to kill you too, you were determined not to kill them”, he unconsciously ran his fingers through his hair, “I’ve been the pack’s leader for years and I don’t think I have mastered the balance of self-control and my emotions. Having the temper of a wolf does not help, but you just showed me that day that it’s possible. I could see you were pissed at them but you’re their leader and you acted like one. Well, you could say that after that, I was already head over heels for you the entire day”, he answered.

Vera blushed. This man has no filter whatsoever. He just says it as it is, something she can never do for the life of her. It’s the result of years of training herself to be tough and cold so no one would dare to use her again.

“We were under a lot of pressure that day, Mr. Duke. Surely, you would feel that way to anyone who could have come to your aid that day”, she replied.

“I doubt it…tell me, don’t you feel it too? The connection I was talking about?” he asked.

Her first impulse is to lie. _Don’t encouraged her, Vera_ , she told to herself, but it’s too late. Her eyes gave it away and saw it clear as day.

“Mr. Duke…”

“Hamish”,

“Hamish…I am the Temple Magus of the Belgrave chapter and you’re the leader of the Knights of St. Christopher. How do you think this is going to work? We’re living on the opposite sides of the world”, she asked him back.

“I figured, one step at a time will do”, he answered confidently.

She scoffed at that. If there’s one thing she learned, being unprepared can cause so much heartache and she’s through with those. She had too many for one lifetime already.

“The main ingredient for a disaster”, she muttered.

He found her hand on the table and held it tight.

“Don’t you think I am scared too? Believe me, I am terrified. Your organization killed my first love. I tried to teach myself to look away, never to seek you, but I couldn’t. After everything that has happened, I realized that life is too short to waste on maybe’s and what if’s. I don’t want you to be one of those. Perhaps, this could be a disaster in the making but how could we be so sure if we don’t try it first?” he exclaimed.

“We’re not just members of our worlds, Hamish. We’re leaders. There’s so much at stake for us, so much to lose”, she reminded him.

He gave her a smirk.

“We’re not unfamiliar to challenges, are we?” he dared.

He’s persuasive and persistent. She’ll have to give him that. Hell, she’s never been pursued like this before. He got so much to lose in doing this and yet, he’s more fueled than ever to have her. It’s both flattering and scary.

“This is going to cause a lot of trouble”, she muttered under her breath.

He cupped her face, feeling her soft skin on his palm.

“Let it come”, he replied and pressed his lips onto hers.

His kiss is more intoxicating than alcohol. She rather found herself reciprocating his kiss faster than she hoped for. PDA is not her thing but right now, she does not care whether there are other people inside the bar right now. All she wants is him. She’ll be damned if she denied feeling the same connection he was describing earlier. Of course, she did. She’s just good at burying it underground, although not as good as she used to be considering she’s letting him devour her in public.

“Let’s get out of here. I don’t like an audience”, she requested when they broke the kiss to catch some air.

“See? I like how your mind works”, he agreed.

\----------------------------------

They couldn’t keep their hands off of each other when they left the bar. Inside the car, Hamish tortured her thoroughly. With one hand on the wheel, his other hand disappeared under her dress. He played with her center but stopped each time she’s near her climax. The entire car is filled with the scent of her arousal and the sounds of her moaning and whimpering. When the vehicle finally stopped, she realized that they’re not back at her house.

“Where are we?” she asked while catching her breath.

“…my apartment”, he answered.

“You have an apartment?” she followed up.

“I do have my own place, you know”, he pretended to be offended.

“I just assumed you live in that dump you called the Den”, she mocked.

Vera tried to be the adult and keep him at bay but he’s unstoppable. He ravished her inside the elevator, the hallway, outside his door until he was able to get the door opened.

Once she heard the lock clicked, she jumped him and returned the favor. To hell with the consequences. All of her life, she had given it in service of the Order. She had been responsible and selfless. This is the one time she will allow herself to have something for her own, to feel pleasure, to be desired, to be worshipped, to be needed and wanted all at once. Is it too much to ask?

“Have I told you that you looked amazing in this dress?” he asked in between kisses.

“Yes…for the seventh time now”, she answered before he ripped her dress apart.

Her eyes went wide upon seeing her dress now in two pieces.

“Now, you know how much I like this dress”, he muttered before picking her up and carried her to his bedroom.

She had seen Hamish before inside the campus. The well-mannered TA always catching the eyes of other faculty members and students. He was still that when they fought together at the Den but she never expected to discover his caveman side during sex. It just made the whole experience more enthralling.

“Fuck…you’re drenched”, he muttered when he slid a finger into her folds.

She sighed and closed her eyes. He’s been teasing her since they left the bar and as much as she likes foreplay, her frustration is overpowering her resolve.

“I swear if you don’t finish what you started, I will do it myself”, she threatened.

She heard him growl before he attached his mouth onto her throbbing her center.

She’s not usually loud but with his skilled ministrations, she found herself screaming his name like a prayer. She just hoped he does not have any neighbors.

“Oh god…” she did not expect the wave of orgasm to hit her that fast. She never came that fast before and yet… “Hamish!” it hit her fast and hard, it shook her to the core.

Hamish lapped and sucked her juices without easing the pressure. Before she could come down from the high, he thrusted two fingers into her and started pumping her.

“Shit…” she cursed as she gripped the bedsheet.

How is it possible that he knows exactly where to touch her? It’s only been a few moments ago since she came and now, it’s building again in her core.

“Hamish…fuck…I’m close again”, she moaned.

“That’s the goal”, he replied.

He pinched her nipple as he curled his fingers, hitting her exactly where she needed him and it felt like oxygen left her lungs for a moment. She choked on her silent scream as another orgasm washed over her.

When she opened her eyes, she found a pair of glowing silver eyes watching her.

“Hamish…”

He pulled his fingers from her and thrusted his very hard member into her swiftly and buried himself into her to the hilt. They moaned in unison at the sensation. She’s still sensitive from coming twice. His silver eyes staring at her is sending her nerves to an overdrive. The thrill of seeing them is adding pleasure to the feeling of him stretching her.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, it hurts”, he said before starting thrusting slowly.

He’s big and it’s been a while for her. It’s like she’s experiencing it again for the first time only with him, it’s more powerful.

“Hamish…it’s alright. You’re not going to break me”, she urges sensing that he’s holding back.

It’s all he needed before he unleashed the beast within him and pounded into her like there’s no tomorrow, the bed literally shook from the force. It did not take long before they both find their release from one another.

“Let’s not leave this apartment…ever”, he blurted out while catching his breath.

“…couldn’t agree with you more”, she replied.


	3. First Case

Vera waking with his arm draped over her naked body is something she never thought she will find herself to be for years. She’s not the type to stay over after a one-night stand. Is this really a one-night stand though? Cuddling and caressing are not for one-night stands and yet, they spent hours after he had made her come thrice last night doing just that. What is she doing? She’s the Temple Magus of the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose, not to mention one of the councilors of the Gnostic Council. She’s not supposed to be sleeping with the leader of their sworn enemy. One glance towards his sleeping face wiped those doubts from her mind in an instant.

He was right. The connection between them is strong. Despite her years of training herself to be in total control of her emotions, she failed to do that when it comes to Hamish. She does not even really know him and yet she can already feel herself falling fast. Vera Stone does not scare easily and right now, she’s completely and utterly terrified of what she’s feeling for him. It’s out of control.

“Do you stare at people to wake them?” he asked with his eyes closed.

When she did not answer, he finally opened his eyes and saw hers filled with fear and questions.

“Hey…what’s wrong?” he asked.

“What if we’re making a big mistake? This? Us? I don’t even know what to call this”, she asked him back.

He frowned at the sudden shift in her tone. The Vera he had met was confident, certain, brave. The woman next to him is a whole new side of her. She’s not the Vera Stone that everyone knows at school and at the temple. This side of her is her vulnerable side, the actual person hiding under Vera’s layers of armors.

“Have you ever tried diving from a high cliff?” he suddenly threw the question.

“Yes, but I don’t see the relevance, Hamish”, she answered.

“Before trying it, people who have done it would tell you how great the experience was. Their collective experiences will build up your desire to experience the same thing so you would want to try it. Then, you get yourself to the edge of the cliff and find yourself staring at the ocean below. You feel the fear creeping in and that’s when doubt starts to mess with you. You will begin to question yourself, ‘what if I am making a mistake?’ ‘what if I will only hurt myself or get myself killed?’…did those stop you from jumping over the cliff?” he asked.

Vera looked at her, completely puzzled and in awe of his analogy.

“No. It did not”, she answered.

“Yes, and you’re still here…able to tell the story of how great the experience was”, he added.

She sighed and nuzzled herself further into his body.

“…but I don’t want to only live to tell the tale. That would mean this will come to an end. I have lived so many heartaches in my life, Hamish. I don’t think I could bear another one at this point in my life and if that’s where we’re heading, maybe it’s best not to pursue it before it’s too late”, she considered.

He pursed his lips before pushing her gently away from him so he can look at her.

“I will never hurt you, Vera. In case you haven’t notice it yet, I am the kind of person who fights for the people I care about. I will do anything for you”, he assured her.

Of course, she knows that. He’s even willing to work with their enemy to protect his pack.

“I’m scared”, she admitted.

“Me too, but I don’t back down from fear. Do you?” he asked.

“No, I don’t”, she answered.

\-----------------------------------

With the new arrangement between Vera and the pack, things started to fall back into place between the Order and the Knights of St. Christopher. No one bothers the other and no one is dying. Vera and Hamish continue to hide their relationship from the others as per her request. Although they know the pack will not tell on them to the Council, she’s not yet comfortable with that many people knowing details about her personal life to which Hamish respected.

He knows she has been alone for so long and it’s new for her to be in a relationship, let alone to be someone who carries a pack of wolves in his life. He learned very early on that she’s a private person. She likes to keep things to herself, even her feelings. She rarely voices them out and when she does, it means that she’s feeling too much of it that she has no choice than to tell him. Having the others teasing her about their relationship will be too much of a shock for her so he decided to give her time.

The unofficial truce between the pack and the Order was suddenly tested when a disciple’s magic went wrong and unintentionally cursed a student passing by.

Lilith was the one who caught the disciple and knocked him out. The boy was brought to Vera’s attention for interrogation while the pack hid at the background.

“Mr. Burns, tell me why were you playing with hex magic out in the open”, she began.

The boy looked completely frightened. He fears not only what Vera will do to him, but he fears for his life in general.

“I was not trying to hurt anyone. I swear, Magus. I was just trying to study flipping spells like what you taught us yesterday. You said that learning how to tweak a spell will help us turn something bad into a good one. I borrowed a book from the reliquary and tried to flip a hex spell because that kind of magic is bad, and if there’s a way we can tweak it, then no one has to worry about being cursed ever again. Please, Magus. I only wanted to turn bad magic into something good. I did not mean to curse that girl”, he explained.

Vera sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose as she contemplates on her next step. Of course, things like this are bound to happen. She had dealt with disciples like him whose ideas were noble but handled it wrong.

“Listen, Jonathan…hex magic is not something you can just flip in order to make it good magic. It does not work like that. This world is made with balance. There’s a natural order to things and despite how cruel it is sometimes, good and bad has been that balance since day one. We cannot convert every bad things in the world to be good because if it was possible, it would have done eons ago”, the boy looked down on the floor, “Now, I understood your intention. I do. To be frank, I thought about it one time when I was starting in the Order. It’s normal to want to save the world but rules are made to keep us in check. I can’t have my disciples taking spell books from my reliquary and testing them unsupervised”,

“I’m sorry, Magus”, he apologized.

“Next time you came up with an idea, you come to your Medicum or Magistratus for guidance. If neither is available, then come see me. We can prevent this from ever happening again”,

“Yes, Magus”, he answered.

“Now, I’m going to need to get inside your head so I can see what really happened earlier. I need to know how your spell went wrong so I can undo the curse on that poor girl. I am going to warn you ahead. This is going to hurt as hell which should be enough to serve as your punishment for your recklessness”, she said.

Jonathan inhaled deeply and braced himself.

“I’m ready, Magus”, he replied.

She then walked behind him and placed her hands on the sides of his head before casting a spell and wave of pain hits the boy that had him screaming. It only took ten seconds but for Jonathan, it felt like hours of torture.

“Cognitive Hex…you have to start with the big one, Mr. Burns. No matter. I can undo it and that girl will be just fine before she starts losing her mind. As for you, you’re grounded from casting spells until further notice”, she grabbed his wrists and her hands glowed, “I hope you learn from this incident, Mr. Burns. You are a very bright student, promising one. Be better when it comes to your judgment”, she said.

“Yes, Magus. Thank you, Magus…for not killing me”, he responded.

Vera considered saying something about that but she held herself back and waved to open her door.

“You’re dismissed, Acolyte”, she said and the boy left her office.

She collected herself before closing the door once again and remembered she’s not alone in her office.

“Does that satisfy your duty to your oath?” she asked.

The pack came out of hiding with the look of awe on their faces.

“Can you really do that? Get inside someone’s head and know what they’ve done hours ago?” Randall asked.

“Yes…but not everyone can do it. It takes time to master or you will risk melting another person’s brain”, she answered.

Jack noticed how Hamish casually poured Vera a drink and put it on her desk like it’s something he used to do for her. She, on the other hand, casually grabbed the offered drink and took a gulp before casting a grateful glance towards Hamish.

“You should put more security to your reliquary. You got a lot of dangerous spell books kids can get their hands on”, Lilith suggested.

Despite being part of the Order once, she now likes that she’s a Knight with the ability to use magic. It makes her better at doing her job.

“Just thought of a way to keep nosy students out of my books but I appreciate the suggestion, Ms. Bathory. Also…thank you, for not clawing out his heart right away. Jonathan is a good kid. Like Mr. Morton, he’s also a scholar. The boy got so much potential and he has a good heart. I would hate it if you had killed him without knowing his reasons”, Vera replied.

They suddenly realized how important their arrangement is. Of course, their first instinct is to kill Jonathan and eat his heart to undo the spell but after hearing what he said earlier, they were glad they did not give in to their impulse, not if there’s another way to help the girl he cursed.

“We honor the deal we made”, Hamish muttered.

Vera nodded and leaned back on her chair.

“Glad to hear that. Now, if you don’t mind, I wanted to have few minutes of rest before I deal with hex magic. You know your way out”, she said and waved her hand, opening a secret door which has become the Knights’ secret passageway to her office to avoid detection from the other disciples.

“Let us know if you need any help”, Jack said before they all left.

Hamish stopped by the door and looked back at her just to make sure she’ll be alright. Vera gave him a brief smile, enough to assure him she can handle it and then he left.

\-----------------------------------

It took her four hours to undo the Cognitive Hex Jonathan inflicted on the poor girl and the whole process drained Vera of her energy. By the time she uttered the last word of the spell, she fell on her knees in exhaustion. She always hated hex magic but she’s not stranger to its power. She felt every nerve endings in her body screaming. Her magic fried her system and all she wanted to do is sleep but she cannot do that inside her office.

Forcing herself to drive all the way to her house was hell. Not only she needs to focus to keep herself alive, she also must do that to keep others alive as well.

By the time she entered her house, she crashed onto the sofa. The soft cushions are lulling her to sleep when she heard Hamish’s voice calling to her.

“Vera? I did not hear you come in. What happened? Are you alright?” he asked and sat next to her.

“Fine…just tired”, she forced herself to sit up but her arms gave in so he pulled her body into his so he can be her support, “…that was a big spell”, she answered.

Her vision is starting to blur and she knows that in a few moments, she’s going to pass out.

“You undid the hex magic”, he concluded.

“Yes…”

“What can I do to help?” he asked in concern.

“Sleep…I just need to sleep and…I’ll be fine…please…” she does not need to ask twice. Hamish is already carrying her into his arms all the way to her bedroom.


	4. Unexpected News

Hamish woke up at the sound of Vera retching inside the bathroom. He quickly glanced at the clock and it’s ten minutes past three.

“Vera?” he called but the sound kept on going so he got up and followed her in the bathroom.

He found her there bent over the toilet bowl, pouring her guts out. He quickly went to her and held her hair back while rubbing her back gently.

“I’m fine. Go back to sleep”, she managed to say before she’s at it again.

“It’s alright”, he replied and helped her get back on her feet.

She flushed the toilet bowl and washed her mouth and face at the sink. He just now saw how pale she is. She looked exhausted and he wondered what kind of magic she did to fix that hex spell Jonathan did to that girl.

“Stop worrying. This happens after a big spell. I hate hex magic and this is the reason why”, she explained when she caught a glimpse of his face from the mirror.

“What can I do to make you feel better?” he asked.

“A tea would be nice”, she answered.

He smiled and put a kiss on top of her head.

“I’ll see you downstairs or shall I bring the cup here?”

“I’ll see you downstairs”, she responded.

With that, Hamish left her in the bathroom.

Vera stared at her reflection in the mirror and knew it’s not just the spell. It’s part of it but it’s more than that. Her health is failing her all because she refused to take that one final step.

No, she told herself. She’s not going to fall down that cliff, not that one. She chose this a long time ago and she’s going to have to live with it. She has to bear the consequences of her past actions. There’s no work around it.

She followed Hamish to the kitchen and found her cup of tea ready and waiting for her.

“Let’s go to the living room. The couch will be more comfortable to have this tea”, he said and she agreed.

The two settled on the couch side by side before taking sips from their cups.

“Aren’t your pack wondering why you’re not spending the nights at the Den?” she asked.

He casually put his arm around her to keep her warm.

“I do have an apartment so they think I sleep there. Why? You want to get rid of me already?” he answered then asked her back.

“No. It’s just that, I know I was the one who insisted on keeping us secret but, it’s a little harder than I thought and I know it’s the same for you as well. Those kids are your family, your closest friends and you’re sneaking around behind their backs, lying to their faces”, she answered.

He pulled her closer.

“I don’t mind if I get to be with you, Vera”, she hummed and buried herself further into his warmth, “Do you want to tell them about us?” he asked.

He felt her stiffened but she did not say anything. He knows she’s considering it. Otherwise, she would have shut him down right away.

“I would like to but not right now. Let’s ease them into it. Mr. Carpio is not fond of me and let’s not start with Ms. Bathory. Mr. Morton, I can tolerate. I don’t want them to explode at me all at once”, she answered.

He chuckled.

“Whatever makes you comfortable, darling. Don’t rush yourself. I am not going anywhere”, he said.

\-------------------------------------

They had fallen asleep on the couch and this time, Hamish woke up first before Vera. She must be very exhausted because she’s in a deep sleep. He had not realized how hard it is to be in her position, to balance two institution while having the heart to care of her students. In the short time they’re together, he saw how dedicated she is in her job. It’s all she does in her day and he’s lucky to get a chunk of her time. The thing is she’s not Wonderwoman. She does not have unlimited amount of energy and it’s taking a toll on her health.

“How long have you been awake?” she asked while brushing the sleep from her eyes.

“…not that long”, he answered.

She looks so adorable when she’s still sleepy.

“Shit…”

“What is it?”

“I am going to be late for the meeting”, she answered and immediately got off the couch and hurried up the stairs.

“…but…Vera, it’s Saturday”, he muttered.

\--------------------------------------

Apparently, it was not a school meeting she needs to attend but a Council meeting. Vera put up her usual glamour before walking out of her house. She kissed Hamish goodbye before getting in her car and driving to the temple.

Kepler already gave her a knowing look but she brushed her off and they proceeded to her office.

“Care to tell me his name?” Kepler asked.

Vera glared at her.

“Oh come on…how long have we known each other, Vera? I know how you look when you got a hot guy in your bedroom”, she added.

Of course, she’s right. It’s one thing she cannot hide from Kepler. They spent years together in Belgrave to know how they both acted when there’s a guy involved in their lives.

“I am not going to tell you his name. That’s not why we’re here. Let’s just get to business”, she dismissed her which earned her a scoffed but Kepler no longer insisted.

The two took a seat.

“Alright, I am here in behalf of the Council and they wished to deliver you a news”, Kepler said.

Vera frowned at her.

“They finally found their prospect for Grand Magus”, Kepler nodded, “Please tell me it’s not from the Brazilian chapter”, she groaned at the thought.

Kepler laughed at her reaction.

“No, thank god…although some considered it”, she muttered.

Vera sighed and shook her head.

“Well, who’s the unlucky person they decided to burden with the mess of this organization?” she asked.

“Actually, the Council thought that you should be the Grand Magus of the Order”, Kepler answered.

Vera almost stopped breathing. Did she just hear her right? They want her to be the Grand Magus? It must have been the end of the world for them to think of a scholar kid to be their Grand Magus.

“If this is your idea of a joke, it’s not very funny, Bitsy. You know how much those legacies hate a scholar kid like me”, she responded.

“Well, those legacies pale in comparison to your efforts when it comes to fixing this organization. The vote is unanimous, Vera. They want you. Believe me, I wouldn’t joke about the topic of our next Grand Magus”, Kepler explained.

Vera couldn’t believe it right now. She never once asked to climb up the ladder. She only accepted being Temple Magus in order to take care of her disciples and she accepted the spot in the Council to derail Edward of his plans. Ambition for power is not her thing.

“Is there really no one else, Bitsy? I am happy being the Temple Magus of Belgrave. I don’t need to be the Grand Magus”, she asked.

Kepler sighed.

“I know you don’t like being in power but can you think of anyone else that you know in your bone will do the position a service?” she asked her back.

Vera can actually think of a few names but she knows they will decline too because they know better than to accept the position that posts too much temptation.

“God…I never thought kicking Edward out of the equation will leave me cleaning up his mess”, she groaned.

Kepler smiled.

“Can I take that as a yes?” she asked.

Vera simply rolled her eyes and Kepler yelped in glee.

\---------------------------------------

Meanwhile, Hamish is being grilled at the Den after several nights of spending away from the house. They no longer buy him staying at his apartment because last night, Randall decided to drop by hoping to engage Hamish into a drinking game.

“So, where were you last night?” Lilith asked.

“Why are you all so interested on where I am spending my nights? It’s personal business not Knight’s business”, Hamish retorted.

“Oh, because we swore never to keep secrets from each other. If you have a girl, you know we’re not going to judge you. We just want to meet her. That’s all”, Randall answered.

Hamish knew that. He also wanted to share how happy he is to them but Vera is not comfortable with them knowing yet about their relationship.

“I will but not right now, okay? Just give me more time”, he muttered.

They all heard the silent plea in his tone which made them all backed off.

“He’ll tell us when he’s ready, okay? Let’s leave him be”, Jack turned to him, “You’re happy though, right?” he asked.

Hamish smiled at him.

“Very”, he answered without hesitation.

“Then that’s all that matters”, Jack said before Randall declared a celebration is in order.

\------------------------------------

Later that night, Hamish came home to Vera, a little buzzed than what he would prefer but he can put the blame on the pack because they insisted that he’s love life needs to be celebrated.

“Vera? Are you home?” he called.

He tried to focus himself and use his sense of smell to track down her scent which leads him to the back garden. There, he found sitting quietly with a glass of bourbon in her hand.

“Hey…” he called again.

She glanced over to him and made room so he could sit next to her.

“Rough day today?” he asked.

“Oh yeah…” she answered.

He inhaled deeply and put his arm around her to keep her warm.

“Kepler gave you a hard time again?” he followed up.

“Actually no…she came to deliver me a news”, he turned to her but she wouldn’t look back at him, “The Council wanted me to be the Grand Magus”, she answered.

His jaw must have hit the floor.

“Vera…”

“I know. It’s hypocritical after everything I stood up for. I pride myself as someone who does not value ambition and desire for power and here I am, about to rule the most powerful magical society in the world. What does that say about me? I mean, what would other people think? That I had Edward killed so I can stole his position from him? That will fly very high”, she cut him off.

“I was going to say it’s amazing news”, she frowned at him, “Look at it as an opportunity to change the Order from within. Isn’t it what you always wanted to do? To reform the Order so it would be better? Now, you’ll have the power to do so. You’ll be able to teach not only Belgrave chapter but every chapter in the world. You can make alliances happen, prevent wars, make the world a better place. This is great, Vera”, he exclaimed.

“…but what if I turned out to be just like Edward?” she asked.

“Don’t ever compare yourself to that monster. You’re nothing like him. You know why?” she shook her head, “…because you have a heart and he does not. I know you’ll be a great leader. I believe it in my soul”, he answered before planting a kiss on her forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have always wondered what was Vera's reaction when she got the job to be the Grand Magus since she never wanted the position in the first place. She rejected being a councilor several times before she said yes to keep an eye on Edward...this is my take on it.

**Author's Note:**

> any thoughts so far?


End file.
